Digital piracy is a relatively new phenomenon that poses a severe threat to the global music industry. Numerous studies have shown that digital piracy is linked to billions of dollars in lost revenue, leaving record companies scrambling to convince consumers to legally purchase music. A key population in this battle is college students, who are highly likely to engage in illegal downloading. For this study, a voluntary survey was conducted to uncover different classes of digital pirates with the purpose of gaining a better understanding of the types of students engaging in illegal downloading. This understanding can be used by music industry executives to develop new and innovative marketing campaigns that either challenge students’ willingness to engage in illegal downloading, or encourage them to purchase music legally.
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